Which problem are you trying to solve?
Write the future task before evaluating the label on the product. Restoring a media file, reviewing a conversation and finding records across several official accounts require different capabilities. A backup may be useful without satisfying every search or review requirement. An archive may also need a separate export or continuity plan. Inspect the actual workflow rather than assuming either name guarantees the outcome.
Work through a realistic example
A team can restore a campaign image from shared storage but cannot identify the caption or replies that appeared with it. The backup succeeded at preserving a file. The unresolved requirement is the business context. Record that distinction so procurement asks for the missing capability rather than replacing a working backup process unnecessarily.
Run the workflow
- Describe three realistic retrieval tasks and who performs them. Include the information needed to recognize the correct result, not just the file name.
- Run the same sample through the options being compared. Record collection scope, search effort, media access and dependence on the original platform.
- Review ongoing ownership, failure handling and exit access. Ask who performs each step and how that responsibility changes when staff leave.
Check the evidence
| Check | What to verify | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery | A stored item can be opened or restored. | Observed recovery test. |
| Context | The item can be interpreted with its relevant relationships. | Independent reviewer exercise. |
| Operation | The process remains repeatable over time. | Owner, schedule, exceptions and handover plan. |
Record the decision and its limits
Choose an option or combination that meets the approved tasks with understood limitations. Record both the technical result and the operating work your team must continue to do. A cheap copy that takes hours to interpret may have a different total cost from its storage price.
Keep in mind: Do not equate preserving files with satisfying every records or disclosure obligation. Confirm the required scope and authority with the responsible owners.
Further reading and scope
Reviewed October 14, 2026. These practical exercises are editorial guidance, not a guarantee of platform coverage or a substitute for your approved records policy.
- NARA: social media capture practices — Background on capture and metadata; the test exercises above are Brolly editorial workflows.
Common questions
Can an organization use both?
Yes, where they serve different approved purposes. Define which system holds the authoritative record and how copies, exports and access responsibilities are managed.
Is a native platform download useless?
No. It can support a specific task. Inspect the package and make its limitations explicit instead of assuming it replaces every archive workflow.
Put the guide to work
Use the downloadable workbook to record your requirements, test results and questions for shortlisted providers.